The National Year of Reading at Clifton College

At Clifton College, every year is a year of reading - and this year, the College is proud to align its work with the National Year of Reading, a nationwide initiative led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust. The campaign, "Go All In", encourages people of all ages to immerse themselves in their passions through books, articles, audiobooks and comics, helping to address the national decline in reading for enjoyment.

A Year Filled With Reading Inspiration

Across the College, our fantastic libraries and librarians have been busy organising engaging activities, competitions and author visits to inspire pupils to read more - and to read for pleasure, not just study. During the 2025/26 academic year, Clifton welcomed fourteen visiting authors, offering pupils the chance to explore new genres, hear from real writers and discover stories that spark curiosity.

Alongside these visits, pupils enjoyed multiple Book Weeks, creative library displays and a wide range of clubs designed to get imaginations flowing and encourage reading as a joyful, social experience.

Peer‑Led Reading: Year 2 and Year 5

A particularly rewarding initiative this year has been the regular reading sessions between Year 2 and Year 5 pupils, simultaneously preparing our Year 2s for the move from our Pre-Prep School up to the Prep School. These sessions give younger pupils the chance to read alongside older peers, building confidence, fluency and excitement around books. Year 5 pupils have embraced their role as reading mentors, modelling positive reading habits and helping inspire a love of stories across the younger year group.

The Great Clifton Read Off

A popular event of the year was the return of The Great Clifton Read Off for our Year 9 cohort - and not just because there were lots of prizes on offer! The challenge encouraged pupils to explore new genres and simply read more - and the results were remarkable.

• 128 pupils took part

• Together they read 841 books

• That’s a total of 275,858 pages

• 71% said the event motivated them to read more

Pupils shared what they enjoyed most:

• “It made me read more as it gave me a target to aim for and was really competitive.”

• “The fact that more people can enjoy the joy of reading.”

• “Talking to people about the books and suggesting books to people.”

Impressive Reading Across the Prep and Pre‑Prep

In the Preparatory School, borrowing rates were equally impressive:

• 10,108 total loans across Prep and Pre‑Prep

• 6,586 loans in the Prep

• 3,522 loans in the Pre‑Prep

Pupils and parents shared their appreciation for the library spaces:

• “The Library is a magical place where anything is possible.” - Year 7 pupil

• “This space is amazing. I never thought that my son would want to hang out in a library, but he does. I’ve seen his love for reading go up massively.” - Parent of Year 4 pupil

A Community That Reads Together

The National Year of Reading has highlighted what Clifton College already knows: reading builds confidence, creativity and connection. With thriving libraries, passionate staff and pupils eager to explore new stories, Clifton College continues to champion reading as a lifelong joy!